Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-10-25
WESTERN JUSTICE.
How Judge Lynch Compelled an Oid
Villain to Disgorge.

Hsw Judge Lynch Compelled an Old
Villain to Disgorge.
The following incident OF pioneer
days is compiled from Herbet F. Ban
eroft's new volume, Popular Tribua5
als," about to be published in his re-
markable series of historical works re.
lsting to the Pacific slope:
The warm hearted early settlers of
California were ready to interfere and do
substsatial justice whenever they saw
wrong dane. In 1858 the town of Visa
lias stoud somewhat remote from the
more thickly settled portions OF the
state. Population was sparse aud the
courts we're poorly organized, and there
We're many Wild and lawiess characters
about. There was no Jail in the entire
country. A rough shanty IN an oak
opening constituted the court house.
rhe floor of the shanty was the bare
earth, and in the middle rose the stump
of large oak tree To this stamp was
attached ring bolt, and the stump and
ring bolt constituted the county prison,
for the felons were chained to 1t with
guard over them.
On complaint OF his nephew, William
@. Deputy was arrested by the sheriff
| and chained to the stump. He was
| thought by some to be bad character.
and was accused by the nephew OF de-
| fraudiDg him of lands and moneys to
the value of $50, 600 or $4,000. Deputy
| was an old man, and because he was q
| Mormon the people were all the more
ready to call him q villain: he was
shnnned and detested in the community.
| They said that he held in his possession
at the time of his arrest property be-
| longing to his nephew as confidential
trust and this he persistently refused to
| reeonvey. A lawyer was employed to
compel the man to jisgorge the funds,
but Deputy had concealed his tracks
with such skill as TO defy detection and
defeat legal proceedings. The nephew
was duped, and the law could not help
him to obtain restitution
1 Nothing would avail but to compel the
man to sign over his ill-gotten gains
Accordingly be stated his grievances &c
his friends and enlisted the sympathy oi
the community. They knew of but on.
way ia which to adjust the difficulty
They would form vigilance commlttet
end compel the old msn to sign the pa
pers. They believed the nephew to be il
the right, snd would extend him tina
justice which the law could not give.
The cause was made common one b,
| the entire community, and there was
not single individual who opposed
the plan made known to the crowd tha,
gathered and determined upon action
That night they met and at IL o'oloci
) marched to the court house, where the.
I found Deputy guarded by two srme'
men. They entered the room, meeting
little opposition, took Deputy from
! the bench where he was lynn
r and led him to the northern ssetio
b of the town, He was placed be
meath the tree, from which rope wa
, already swinging. The rope was the
g adjusted about hisneek, and he was in
+ formed that his life would be forfeite
i unless he complied with their demand
and made over thg property: This b
refused to do. Accordingly he wa
swunE into the air two or three time
o and lowered again until finally he pro
70 posed TO do what wae required, provide
!. he should be released from custody an
freed from the charge OF felony that WI
u pending aeaInst him. This was grante
land then he made full confession
promised restitution and gave aceoul
10 Iof what be held.
!. He wsaE then taken back to the roo
= and chained again to await the appea
O. ance OF the lnwyefs in the morning. Z
a. prevent further violence t'he sher
u